Teaching by Competencies: The Second-Generation Curriculum in the Algerian Classroom

Rationale

The second-generation curriculum reform (programmes de deuxième génération) represents the single largest pedagogical shift in Algerian schooling since the 2008 framework law. Rolled out from 2016 to 2017, it replaced the objectives-based approach with a competency-based model (approche par compétences) grounded in socioconstructivism. Research brief evidence documents that the reform outran teacher preparation, leaving a genuine in-service training gap. Law 08-04 article 44 establishes the common core of fundamental knowledge and essential competencies that every pupil must acquire, and article 78 mandates career-long continuing training for all personnel. This course addresses the documented need by equipping teachers to read programme documents, design integration situations, protect foundational literacy and numeracy, differentiate within the competency frame, and evidence their practice for the inspectorate and the formation-continue file.

Part I: Foundations (Lessons 1-4)

Lesson 1. From objectives to competencies: what the reform actually changed

The shift from the pedagogy of objectives (pédagogie par objectifs) to the competency-based approach (approche par compétences) is the defining pedagogical reform of the last decade in Algeria. Participants begin by examining the historical context: the objectives model that dominated Algerian curriculum design from the 1990s through the early 2000s, its strengths in specifying measurable outcomes, and its limitations in producing transferable, integrated learning. The lesson then introduces the core logic of the APC: a competency is the ability to mobilise a set of resources (knowledge, skills, attitudes) to address a complex situation. Participants analyse a side-by-side comparison of an objectives-based lesson and a competency-based lesson from the same subject and level, identifying what changed in planning, instruction, and assessment. The session includes a guided reading of the official rationale document for the second-generation programmes, tracing how the reform connects to Law 08-04 article 44's mandate for a common core of fundamental knowledge and essential competencies. By the end of the lesson, participants can articulate the conceptual difference between an objective and a competency and can identify the key structural changes the reform introduced to Algerian curriculum documents.

Lesson 2. The socioconstructivist foundation

The second-generation curriculum is explicitly built on socioconstructivist learning theory, which holds that knowledge is not transmitted from teacher to learner but is actively constructed by the learner through interaction with content, peers, and the teacher. Participants explore the three pillars of this foundation: the learner's prior knowledge as the starting point, the social dimension of learning through peer interaction and guided discussion, and the role of the teacher as facilitator rather than sole knowledge source. The lesson uses concrete examples from Algerian primary and moyen classrooms: how a science lesson on plant growth becomes a collaborative investigation, how a history lesson uses group analysis of primary sources, and how a mathematics lesson builds from pupils' informal strategies to formal procedures. Participants practise identifying socioconstructivist elements in sample lesson descriptions and discuss the challenges of implementing this approach in classes of forty pupils with limited materials. The session connects the theory to the programme documents' explicit references to socioconstructivisme as the organising principle. By the end of the lesson, participants can explain the socioconstructivist rationale for the reform and can identify at least three classroom practices that align with this foundation.

Lesson 3. Reading a second-generation programme document

The official programme documents for each subject and level are the authoritative reference for what to teach and how to organise instruction across the school year. Many teachers received these documents during the reform rollout without systematic training in how to read and use them. Participants learn the standard structure of a second-generation programme: the introductory rationale, the competency profile (profil de sortie) for the cycle, the list of terminal competencies (compétences terminales) for the level, the palier competencies that mark intermediate progress, the suggested progression across trimesters, and the assessment guidelines. The lesson provides a template for annotating a programme document and a guided exercise using the official programme for a selected subject (e.g., Arabic language at primary level or mathematics at moyen level). Participants practise locating the competency statements, identifying the knowledge and skill components embedded in each competency, and mapping the yearly progression. The session emphasises that the programme is a binding document under the MEN's authority and that inspectors evaluate teaching against its requirements. By the end of the lesson, participants can locate and interpret the key sections of any second-generation programme document and can use it to plan a trimester of instruction.

Lesson 4. Terminal and intermediate competencies

A competency-based curriculum organises learning around terminal competencies (compétences terminales) that pupils must master by the end of a school year or cycle, and intermediate or palier competencies that mark progress toward those terminal goals. Participants learn to distinguish these two levels and to use them as the organising framework for instructional planning. The lesson presents the competency profile for a complete cycle (e.g., the three years of primary or the four years of moyen) and shows how terminal competencies for each year build toward the cycle exit profile. Participants then examine how each terminal competency is broken into palier competencies that correspond to trimesters or thematic units. A guided planning exercise asks participants to take one terminal competency from their subject, identify its component palier competencies, and sketch a sequence of learning activities that would develop each palier. The session addresses the common error of treating palier competencies as isolated objectives rather than as steps toward an integrated competency. By the end of the lesson, participants can analyse a programme document to extract terminal and palier competencies and can use this analysis to structure a year-long or cycle-long instructional plan.

Part II: Core Practice (Lessons 5-10)

Lesson 5. The integration situation (situation d'intégration)

The signature assessment task of the competency-based approach is the integration situation (situation d'intégration), a complex, contextualised problem that requires pupils to mobilise multiple resources to produce a solution or product. Participants learn the design principles: the situation must be meaningful to pupils, must require the integration of knowledge and skills from the unit, must present a novel problem (not a routine exercise), and must be accompanied by clear criteria for success. The lesson presents examples from Algerian second-generation manuals and from teacher-created integration situations across subjects: a primary-level situation requiring pupils to plan a class outing using mathematics (budgeting, time) and Arabic language (writing a permission note), and a moyen-level situation requiring analysis of a historical document and presentation of findings. Participants practise evaluating sample integration situations against the design criteria and then work in pairs to draft an integration situation for a unit they currently teach. The session connects the integration situation to the assessment requirements of the reform and to the inspectorate's expectations for evidence of competency development. By the end of the lesson, participants can design an integration situation that meets the reform's criteria and can distinguish it from a traditional test or exercise.

Lesson 6. Protecting the fundamentals: reading, writing, arithmetic

The reform evaluation literature documents a widely expressed concern that the competency-based approach, in its early implementation, squeezed the systematic teaching of foundational reading, writing, and arithmetic at the primary level. This lesson addresses that critique directly. Participants examine the evidence: reports from Algerian researchers and practitioners that pupils' decoding fluency, handwriting, and basic calculation suffered when teachers shifted too quickly to integration situations without maintaining explicit instruction in foundational skills. The lesson presents a balanced model in which the APC framework accommodates and protects the fundamentals. Participants learn how to schedule daily dedicated time for systematic phonics, handwriting, and arithmetic facts within a competency-aligned weekly plan. They practise designing a lesson that includes both a short explicit teaching segment (e.g., a ten-minute phonics drill) and a longer competency-building activity (e.g., a reading comprehension task using the practised phonics). The session anchors the fundamentals in Law 08-04 article 44's mandate for a common core of fundamental knowledge and essential competencies. By the end of the lesson, participants can plan a primary-level lesson that protects foundational skills while remaining faithful to the competency-based framework.

Lesson 7. The global/integrated approach across subjects

The second-generation curriculum promotes a global or integrated approach (approche globale) in which themes and competencies are addressed across subject boundaries rather than in isolated disciplinary silos. Participants explore how the programme documents for different subjects at the same level share common competency themes (e.g., communication, problem-solving, citizenship) and how teachers can coordinate their planning to reinforce these themes. The lesson presents a case study from a moyen school where the Arabic language, Islamic education, and history teachers planned a joint unit on "citizenship and responsibility" with each subject contributing its specific competencies toward the common theme. Participants analyse the programme documents for two or three subjects at their level to identify overlapping competency statements and potential integration points. The session addresses the practical constraints of the Algerian school timetable and offers strategies for informal coordination (e.g., aligning the timing of related topics) when full joint planning is not possible. By the end of the lesson, participants can identify cross-subject integration opportunities in their own teaching context and can plan at least one coordinated activity with a colleague from another subject.

Lesson 8. Lesson planning under the APC

A workable lesson plan (fiche pédagogique) for the competency-based classroom must balance structure with flexibility, specify the competency being developed, and include both learning activities and assessment checkpoints. Participants learn the standard components of an APC lesson plan as recommended by MEN pedagogical guidance: the competency statement, the learning objectives (expressed as observable pupil actions), the materials needed, the lesson phases (introduction, development, integration, evaluation), the teacher's role in each phase, and the differentiation strategies for pupils who need support or extension. The lesson provides templates adapted from those used in INFFSEN training seminars and in inspectorate guidance. Participants work individually or in pairs to plan a lesson for a topic they currently teach, using the template and checking each component against the programme document for their subject and level. The session emphasises that the lesson plan is a working document, not a bureaucratic exercise, and that the inspectorate will examine it during evaluation visits. By the end of the lesson, participants can produce a complete APC lesson plan that aligns with the programme document and is feasible for a real class of forty pupils.

Lesson 9. Differentiation within the competency frame

Algerian classrooms are heterogeneous, with pupils at widely varying levels of readiness, language proficiency, and learning pace. The competency-based approach requires teachers to maintain the common core (Law 08-04 art. 44) while adjusting instruction so that all pupils can progress. Participants learn a framework for differentiation: differentiating by content (what pupils learn), by process (how they learn), and by product (how they demonstrate learning). The lesson presents practical strategies that work in resource-constrained settings: tiered tasks at three levels of complexity within the same integration situation, flexible grouping that changes by activity, and choice boards that let pupils select from options that all address the same competency. Participants practise adapting a single integration situation for a class that includes pupils who are still developing foundational literacy, pupils at grade level, and pupils ready for extension. The session addresses the tension between differentiation and the common core, arguing that differentiation is the means by which the common core becomes accessible to all. By the end of the lesson, participants can plan at least two differentiation strategies for a competency-based lesson and can justify them within the legal framework.

Lesson 10. Remediation (remédiation) and support

The competency-based curriculum embeds a cycle of assessment and remediation (remédiation) in which teachers diagnose gaps in competency development and provide targeted support before moving on. Participants learn the three-phase remediation model: diagnostic assessment to identify specific gaps, targeted re-teaching that addresses the gap without repeating the original lesson, and re-assessment to confirm progress. The lesson presents examples of remediation cycles from Algerian classrooms: a primary teacher who identifies that pupils cannot apply the addition algorithm in a word problem and designs a short sequence of concrete manipulatives and guided practice before re-assessing with a similar problem. Participants practise designing a remediation plan for a common competency gap in their subject, using the programme document to identify the prerequisite knowledge and skills. The session connects remediation to the MEN's évaluation and remédiation directives and to the inspectorate's expectation that teachers can show evidence of closing learning gaps. By the end of the lesson, participants can design a remediation cycle that diagnoses a competency gap, provides targeted instruction, and verifies progress.

Part III: Application and Mastery (Lessons 11-15)

Lesson 11. The textbook (manuel) as tool, not script

The second-generation textbooks (manuels scolaires) produced by the ONPS (Office National des Publications Scolaires) are widely used in Algerian classrooms, but teachers often treat them as scripts to be followed page by page rather than as resources to be used critically. Participants learn to analyse a textbook unit against the programme document, identifying which competencies the unit addresses, which it omits, and where the textbook's activities align or misalign with the APC approach. The lesson presents a framework for evaluating a textbook unit: check the competency coverage, assess the quality of the integration situations, identify gaps in foundational skill practice, and plan supplementary activities. Participants work with a sample unit from a primary or moyen textbook, applying the framework and designing one supplementary activity to address a gap. The session emphasises that the teacher, not the textbook, is the curriculum decision-maker and that the inspectorate evaluates teaching against the programme, not against the textbook. By the end of the lesson, participants can evaluate a textbook unit against the programme document and can plan supplementary activities that strengthen the unit's alignment with the APC.

Lesson 12. Group work and cooperative learning that works at scale

The socioconstructivist foundation of the reform demands interaction among pupils, but group work in classes of forty or more pupils with fixed furniture and limited materials presents genuine challenges. Participants learn a set of structured cooperative learning strategies designed for large classes: think-pair-share, jigsaw, numbered heads together, and the group investigation model adapted for the Algerian context. The lesson addresses the practical constraints: how to form groups quickly, how to assign roles that ensure participation, how to manage noise and movement, and how to assess individual accountability within group work. Participants practise facilitating a short cooperative learning sequence on a topic from their subject, with one participant playing the teacher and others playing pupils. The session connects cooperative learning to the competency framework, showing how well-designed group work develops the communication, collaboration, and problem-solving competencies that the programme documents require. By the end of the lesson, participants can implement at least two structured cooperative learning strategies in their classroom and can manage the practical challenges of group work at scale.

Lesson 13. Language across the curriculum

Arabic is the language of instruction at all levels of Algerian public education (Law 08-04 art. 4), and pupils' proficiency in Modern Standard Arabic directly affects their ability to access the curriculum across all subjects. Participants examine the language demands of their subject: the specialised vocabulary, the text types pupils must read and produce, and the language functions (explain, compare, argue, describe) that competency tasks require. The lesson presents strategies for teaching subject content through Arabic without assuming that pupils already possess academic language proficiency: pre-teaching key vocabulary, using sentence frames for oral and written responses, modelling the language of the discipline, and providing structured opportunities for pupils to use academic language in speaking and writing. Participants practise adapting a lesson from their subject to include explicit language support, identifying the key vocabulary and language structures pupils will need. The session acknowledges the multilingual reality of Algerian classrooms, where pupils may speak Algerian Arabic or Tamazight at home and encounter Modern Standard Arabic primarily at school. By the end of the lesson, participants can identify the language demands of a lesson in their subject and can plan explicit language support that helps pupils access the competency task.

Lesson 14. Evidence of learning for the inspector

The corps d'inspection evaluates teaching against the programme documents and the statut particulier's performance criteria, and teachers must be able to show evidence that pupils are developing the required competencies. Participants learn what inspectors look for during classroom visits and file reviews: lesson plans aligned to the programme, pupil work samples that show progression toward competencies, assessment records that include diagnostic, formative, and summative data, and evidence of remediation cycles. The lesson presents a template for a teaching portfolio organised around competencies, with sections for each terminal competency containing the lesson plans, pupil work samples, assessment records, and remediation plans. Participants practise selecting and annotating a pupil work sample to show evidence of competency development, writing a brief commentary that connects the work to the programme document and to the assessment criteria. The session connects this evidence to the titularisation dossier for probationary teachers and to the promotion file for experienced teachers (Decree 25-54 evaluation regime). By the end of the lesson, participants can assemble and annotate evidence of competency development that meets the inspectorate's expectations.

Lesson 15. Building a personal APC portfolio for the formation-continue file

The continuing-training duty (Law 08-04 art. 78) requires teachers to document their professional learning and its impact on their practice. This final lesson consolidates the course learning into a personal APC portfolio that serves both the teacher's own development and the formation-continue file that the hierarchy and inspectorate may examine. Participants review the key artefacts they have produced across the course: the programme document analysis, the integration situation design, the lesson plan, the differentiation plan, the remediation cycle, the textbook evaluation, and the evidence-of-learning sample. They organise these artefacts into a portfolio structure with a reflective commentary for each artefact, explaining what they learned, how they will apply it in their classroom, and how it connects to the competency framework. The session includes peer feedback on one portfolio section and a discussion of how the portfolio can be updated and expanded across the career. Participants leave with a completed portfolio that demonstrates their readiness to implement the second-generation curriculum and that can be submitted as part of their formation-continue file. By the end of the lesson, participants can produce a reflective portfolio that documents their competency-based teaching practice and satisfies the continuing-training documentation requirement.

This syllabus was designed from primary-source research of this nation's official teacher requirements and passed independent verification. The full course, its lessons, assistant, and materials are live for enrolled educators.